James O'Connor, Karmichael Hunt, the Honey Badger and veteran props Benn Robinson and Ben Alexander have paid the price for poor form in a 40-man extended Wallabies squad named in Brisbane on Thursday.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has cast the net wide in search of Australia's top players ahead of this month's Rugby Championship, drafting overseas-based veterans Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell into the squad, naming uncapped players Samu Kerevi, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Rory Arnold and Toby Smith and opening the door for prop Greg Holmes to vie for a Test return after an eight-year hiatus.
O'Connor and Cummins are the highest profile omissions alongside Karmichael Hunt, who endured an injury and drama-plagued first season in rugby, and 72-test veterans Alexander and Robinson, who failed to impress the Wallabies coach on the team's four-Test tour to Europe at the end of last year.
In their place, Cheika has added uncapped Fijian flyer Naiyaravoro and Toulon-based Mitchell to the likes of Henry Speight, Rob Horne, Joe Tomane, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Israel Folau, while Alexander lost out to uncapped Rebels prop Toby Smith, who was named alongside Force front rower Tetera Faulkner and Brumbies teammate Scott Sio. France-bound youngster Paul Alo-Emile was not considered due to an ankle injury.
Exciting midfield prospect Samu Kerevi is poised to make his debut after making the extended cut, while towering Brumbies second rower Rory Arnold has also been handed a shot at a gold jersey.
It is a disappointing development for O'Connor, who returned to Australia and linked up with Queensland this season with the express intent of playing his way back into a Wallabies jersey. The 44-test outside back was just a few years ago one of the central planks in the Wallabies' attack but was sacked by the Australian Rugby Union after a series of behavioural incidents in 2013.
Cummins is also a big omission after establishing himself as a regular starter on the wing for the Wallabies over the past two seasons. He struggled to find form in a struggling Force side this season and will also question the merits of taking an emergency sabbatical in Japan over the off-season.
As expected, France-based veterans Giteau and Mitchell were named in the extended group, which will be whittled down to 31 before the Wallabies play South Africa at Suncorp Stadium on July 18, alongside playmakers Quade Cooper, Bernard Foley, Kurtley Beale, Matt Toomua and Christian Leali'ifano. Brumbies halfback Nic White joined Will Genia and Nick Phipps on the halfback list, while incumbent Test No 13 Tevita Kuridrani also made the cut.
Test centurion George Smith was not named in the group, but could be drafted in at the halfway point of the Wallabies' Rugby Championship campaign, before the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney on August 8. David Pocock and Michael Hooper will battle it out for the No 7 jersey, while Force No 8 Ben McCalman was named despite a cheekbone injury and will battle it out for selection with the likes of Wycliff Palu and Scott Higginbotham.
The squad will assemble on the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, along with coaches Cheika, Stephen Larkham (attack), Nathan Grey (defence) and set piece coach Mario Ledesma.
AT A GLANCE
Wallabies squad: Backs: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale, Quade Cooper, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Matt Giteau, Rob Horne, Samu Kerevi, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Drew Mitchell, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Nick Phipps, Henry Speight, Matt Toomua, Joe Tomane, Nic White. Forwards: David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Scott Sio, Rob Simmons, Will Skelton, James Slipper, Toby Smith, Wyclif Palu, Ben McCalman, Sean McMahon, Dean Mumm, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu, Rory Arnold, Dave Dennis, James Hanson, Scott Fardy, Tetera Faulkner, James Horwill, Scott Higginbotham, Greg Holmes, Michael Hooper.
- Sydney Morning Herald
